As revealed right here, Ferguson broke down in tears when relaying confirmation of his imminent departure to his players on the morning of the 8th – and the tributes flowed like a tidal wave in the immediate aftermath. Even with the tears still damp in the eyes, though, attention simultaneously turned to Ferguson’s successor – exclusively revealed right here to be David Moyes just hours after confirmation of Sir Alex’s departure.

Fittingly, the then 71-year-old Ferguson bade farewell to his adoring supporters off the back of a remarkable 5-5 draw v West Brom… bringing the curtain down on a staggering era of success that brought United 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League and nine domestic trophies (not including Charity Shields).